Today sees the official launch of Wario’s latest title, Game & Wario, available now exclusively for Wii U. Following on from the popular WarioWare series, Game & Wario features sixteen mini-games and hundreds of toys to showcase the innumerable uses of the Wii U GamePad.

In single-player, there are twelve games to enjoy that turn your GamePad into a variety of different objects for different gameplay challenges: use it as a camera, a bow that looses arrows into the TV image, or as a method to steer a skier to the disco, amongst others. In CAMERA, you’re tasked with snapping photos of escaped criminals with your GamePad: the TV shows a busy street in DiamondCity and holding up the GamePad allows you to take a closer look at the scene. Frame those crooks perfectly in your photos to catch them and earn a high score.

In GAMER, take on the role of 9-Volt, a kid who’s been sent to bed with his favourite handheld gaming system, but is desperate to get a high score… However his mum is prowling around trying to catch him in the act of staying up past his bedtime! While playing microgames on the GamePad, you’ll need to keep an eye on the TV screen which shows 9-Volt’s bedroom, because you’ll have to pretend to be fast asleep whenever his mum pounces! Try to hide-and-play for as long as possible for a high score – just don’t get caught or it’s game over.

You can also try your luck with Chick-N-Win, the chicken-shaped contraption that lays surprise-filled capsules, and get one of over two hundred weird and wonderful toys to play with; each one showcasing something fun or eccentric you can do with your GamePad.

Game & Wario also unveils a new twist on playing with others on Wii U: using only the GamePad you can share the fun with friends or family in four different games in the Multiplayer Mode. In DISCO, you’ll be battling against a friend toe-to-toe in a dance-off, where the players are setting the pace and moves on the GamePad for points. Each player holds one end of the GamePad and tries to outwit his opponent with fancy fingerwork, rhythmically tapping the touch screen in three places to place moves his opponent needs to replicate… Each misstep earns the player’s opponent points – you’ll need the highest score to win – so make sure you can keep in rhythm!

In FRUIT, up to five players play together in different roles: one player becomes a dastardly fruit thief, using the GamePad to work in secret as the others play agents and watch the television screen, using their powers of observation to find the thief in a crowd and spot when the fruits disappear. The agents have their work cut out for them with bustling streets, passing traffic and smoky chimneys obscuring the view. At the end of the game, each of the agents pass around the GamePad to point out who they think is the thief; but only the most eagle-eyed may win as the line-up of would-be fruit thieves look rather similar!

In ARTWORK, up to five players compete in a sketching showdown to see who can draw and guess drawings the fastest for a high score. Each player takes turns to sketch prompted words as fast as possible on the GamePad, with the other players guessing what the word might be. It’s a frantic test of communication with friends and family as points are earned both for correct guesses and for drawing fast, as one man’s squiggle is another man’s solution!

This gameplay mode is also integrated into Miiverse as Miiverse ARTWORK, where you can select one of four prompts to draw in sixty seconds, after which your mini masterpiece, or hilarious doodle, is posted to Miiverse to be appreciated by all! You can even submit your own words to be prompts for others to draw, which may even trend in the Gallery section of Miiverse Artwork as popular words other players are enjoying sketching.

Game & Wario is available from today exclusively for Wii U, available both at retail stores and via the Nintendo eShop. Electronic Theatre will keep you updated with all the latest details on Game & Wario and other Wii U exclusive titles.